A Clean Break
by cein
Summary: Two ER docs have a girls night in, that doesn't go exactly as expected ;-)
1. Default Chapter

  
A clean break  
  
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Jing-Mei and Cleo were working on charts in the lounge when the phone rang.   
  
Jing-Mei looked up as it continued to ring. "Aren't you going to answer that?" she asked Cleo, who was sitting next to it.  
  
"Nope," replied Cleo, signing her name to a chart and retrieving another from the pile.   
  
"It could be important."  
  
"Maybe," shrugged Cleo, without moving.  
  
The phone rang a few more times before Jing-Mei sighed with frustration and reached across Cleo to pick it up.  
  
"ER," she said crisply. "Oh...hello Dr. Benton...you're looking for Dr. Finch?"   
  
Jing-Mei looked at Cleo, who was shaking her head and whispering, "Tell him I'm not here."  
  
"She's right here...I'll put her on," said Jing-Mei, grinning evilly at Cleo before holding out the handset to her.  
  
"Bitch," mouthed Cleo, before taking the handset with a resigned look on her face.   
"Hello Peter," she said out loud.   
  
That was the last thing she said. Jing-Mei watched in surprise as Cleo carefully placed the handset on the table before returning her attention to her charts.  
  
"Aren't you going to talk to him?" she whispered.   
  
"I think you mean, 'aren't I going to listen while he lists out all the reasons why it would be good for *him* if we got back together. Then he'll apologize again for not being more supportive of me, and he'll promise to be more considerate in future...finally he'll comment on how Reese is always asking when he's going to see me again. I've heard it all before...but nothing's changed. I broke up with Peter because he couldn't give me the support I needed when I needed it. I can't rely on him...from now on I'm going to survive on my own...I don't need a man...and I don't want one."  
  
"You said it girl," said Jing-Mei, "They're more trouble than they're worth."  
  
"Translation, you haven't got a date for tonight either?"  
  
Jing-Mei looked disgusted as she said, "This is the first night I've had off in what seems like weeks...I don't have to be back at work for thirty six hours...and I've nothing to do."  
  
"Me either..." Cleo looked at Jing-Mei for a few seconds. "You want to get a pizza and some videos? We can drink some wine and moan about how all men are bastards?"  
  
Jing-Mei thought for a few seconds. Okay, so she and Cleo weren't exactly the best of friends...she had always found her to be a bit distant...but her social life wasn't exactly busy...  
  
"Why not..."  
  
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Several hours later, the pizza had been eaten, the wine drunk, and the videos watched. Both Jing-Mei and Cleo were feeling a little tipsy as they went through the list of why cucumbers were better than men, having earlier gone through the reasons why all men were bastards.  
  
"You know the worst thing about surgeons?" said Cleo as she tried to refill her glass from a now empty bottle. Realizing the reason for her failure, she cursed.  
  
"Do tell," said Jing-Mei as she crammed a handful of popcorn in her mouth.   
  
"They're so...so arrogant...think they're the center of the universe...world revolves around them...  
  
"All the time?"  
  
Cleo nodded, then hiccupped. "And...you know the way they're always trying to get through surgery as quickly as they can?"  
  
"Yeah...that's good for the patient...right?"  
  
"Yeah...but it's not so good when they try to do *everything* as quickly as they can..."  
  
It took a few minutes for Cleo's meaning to penetrate Jing-Mei's slightly sozzled brain. "You don't mean..."  
  
Cleo made an obscene gesture. "Sometimes I felt he was just trying to beat his fastest time..." She sighed heavily before continuing. "And of course, once *he* was satisfied, that was it...cost me a fortune in batteries..." Cleo counted silently to herself as she waited for the penny drop.  
  
And drop it did. As Jing-Mei realized what Cleo was implying, she nearly choked on her popcorn. Thumping on the table, she hooted with laughter. "Girl, you are really something." In her amusement, she inadvertently knocked the bowl of popcorn to the ground, spilling the remaining corns.  
  
"Oh dammit," she said, falling to her knees to try and tidy up.  
  
"It's okay," said Cleo lazily. "I've got a cleaner coming in tomorrow morning...she'll tidy the place up."  
  
"Hmm," said Jing-Mei, sitting back on her heels. "Maybe we don't have to wait that long..."  
  
Cleo raised an eyebrow as she continued.  
  
"Remember that cute looking guy that I was treating last month? The one with the unexplained rash all over his hands?"  
  
Cleo tried to think. "The one that the nurses were drawing straws over to see who'd get to, ahem, 'assist'? What was it, some sort of allergy?"  
  
Jing-Mei nodded. "He was working for a cleaning firm, and was allergic to one of the cleaning agents. Anyway, he gave me his card before he left."  
  
"And what makes his firm so special that we should call them now instead of waiting for my usual cleaner?"  
  
"Oh I don't know...maybe the fact that all their cleaners are as good looking as him...and work nearly nude..."  
  
"Pass me the phone..."  
  
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Almost an hour later, both women had sobered up somewhat and were waiting eagerly for their 'cleaner'.   
  
"You sure he's going to be hot?" Cleo asked. "I mean, they're not gonna pawn us off with some middle aged loser...or worse, some perve who thinks he's gonna score some action just because he drops his pants?"  
  
Jing-Mei shook her head, "Don't worry, Michael told me that all the guys they use have to be in peak condition. No losers allowed. As for 'action'...well, that's up to us..." She winked at Cleo.   
  
Cleo rubbed her hands in anticipation.  
  
Just then, the intercom buzzed. "That's him," squealed Jing-Mei.  
  
Cleo waved her to silence as she went over to the door.  
  
Pressing the speaker button, she said, "Yes?"  
  
"Hi," said a muffled voice. "I'm from the 'Bare Bones Cleaning Company'. You guys order a cleaner?"  
  
Cleo grinned, "You bet we did..."  
  
Jing-Mei flung open the door, a big grin on her face. The grin died away as she took a look at the figure standing in the doorway.   
  
Dave Malucci stood there staring back at her, a smile frozen on his face. "Oh boy," was his only comment.  
  
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To be continued.  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2

  
A clean break - part 2  
  
Previously on *my* ER  
Cleo dumped Peter but he wouldn't take the hint. She and Jing-Mei had a girl's night in. Slightly tipsy, they decided to hire a 'nearly nude' cleaner to entertain them.   
  
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Cleo pressed the speaker button, she said, "Yes?"  
  
"Hi," said a muffled voice. "I'm from the 'Bare Bones Cleaning Company'. You guys order a cleaner?"  
  
Cleo grinned, "You bet we did..."  
  
Jing-Mei flung open the door, a big grin on her face. The grin died away as she took a look at the figure standing in the doorway.   
  
Dave Malucci stood there staring back at her, a smile frozen on his face. "Oh boy," was his only comment.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Dammit Malucci," snapped Jing-Mei, as she peered hopefully past him. "What are *you* doing here?" Slowly her brain registered the feather duster tucked neatly under his arm.  
"Oh no...you're not..."  
  
"What's the problem?" asked Cleo, appearing behind her.   
  
"This is what the agency sent us," said Jing-Mei, unable to hide her disgust. "I mean, they've got a hundred guys on their books and look who they send us."  
  
Dave watched as Cleo eyed him up and down...he had the unnerving feeling that she was mentally undressing him. Finally she said, "Looks good to me...come on in Malucci."  
  
"Cleo," yelped Jing-Mei, indignantly. "You can't be serious...I mean, it's *Malucci*...look at him..."  
  
"I *am* looking," said Cleo with an evil grin. "And what I'm seeing, looks 'mighty fine' to me." Moving over to Dave, she linked arms with him and guided him over the threshold.   
  
"Whoa," said Dave, seeing the apartment. "Pretty snappy digs you've got here Cleo. Maybe I shoulda done a Pedes 'n Trauma residency. It must pay better than just plain trauma."   
  
Cleo patted his hand gently as she said, "You'd have to be working a lot of double shifts to be able to get a place like this. My father owns it."  
  
Dave nodded as he looked round.   
  
"So," said Cleo, "You want to get, um, 'ready'?"  
  
"You mean you really want me to 'clean up' for you?"  
  
"That's what I called the agency for, isn't it? They took my money, and I intend to get what I paid for."  
  
"Could you excuse us for a minute," interrupted Jing-Mei, as she pulled Cleo to the side of the room. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed at her.  
  
Cleo shrugged. "We wanted a nearly nude cleaner...from what I've seen of Malucci's body under those tight tops of his, I think we've got a pretty good deal. He's getting paid for his time, nobody's forcing him to do this...what's the problem?"  
  
"But we work with him every day...I mean...we can't...we shouldn't..."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Jing-Mei opened her mouth and then closed it again, unable to think of a convincing reason *why* she didn't want to go through with it.   
  
"Yo, Malucci," said Cleo, raising her voice slightly.   
  
Dave looked up from the bookshelves, where he had been browsing. "Yeah?"  
  
"You don't have a problem with 'performing' for two of your co-workers? Do you?"  
  
Shaking his head, he replied, "Not a problem."  
  
Cleo turned back to Jing-Mei. "There you go, he's got no problem...I've got no problem...if you don't want to stick around, well, you know where the door is...just don't let it hit you on the way out."  
  
"Oh I'll stay...but I still think it's a bad idea."  
  
"Let me remind you just whose idea it was in the first place. I mean, you were all for it...at least until you opened the door."  
  
"Yeah...but it's one thing with a total stranger that you're never going to see again...I mean, we're going to be working with him every day...and knowing exactly what he looks like under his scrubs..." Jing-Mei's voice trailed off as she saw Cleo eyeing up Dave who was studiously ignoring them. "Um Cleo...did you hear what I just said?"  
  
"Oh yeah," said Cleo, looking at Dave as if he was a tall glass of water...and she'd just crawled out of the desert.   
  
"Guys, if you're worried about me saying anything at work, don't be," said Dave, seeing Jing-Mei's hesitation. "One of the rules about the agency is that we don't blab about who our 'clients' are."  
  
"Well that's a relief," snapped Jing-Mei. "Cause I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't do *you* any good if word got round what you were doing in your spare time."  
  
"Oh really," said Dave, his hackles rising. "Wouldn't do either of you two much good either...and everybody already knows that I'm always stuck for cash...but they don't know that you're sad enough to be hiring a guy like me for your evenings entertainment."  
  
"Why you...you..." spluttered Jing-Mei.   
  
"Looks like he's got us there," grinned Cleo. "Yeah Dave, we're a couple of sad lonely women who couldn't get a guy for the night without paying for it. I'm not arguing with that...it's nothing to be ashamed of. Not my fault if all the guys around are either jerks or losers."  
  
"So which category do I fit in to?" asked Dave.  
  
"Get cleaning and I'll let you know."  
  
"Your wish is my command."  
  
"I don't believe this," muttered Jing-Mei under her breath as she watched them banter back and forth.  
  
"Believe it baby...believe it," said Dave.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Half an hour later, Jing-Mei was beginning to change her mind about the whole proceedings. Okay, she still thought it was a bit degrading to be watching Dave dust his way around Cleo's apartment wearing only a pair of shorts and a bow-tie...but there was something compelling about the way his muscles rippled as he stretched to reach the topmost shelves of Cleo's bookcase. Maybe the bottle of wine that Cleo had unearthed was partly the cause of this mellow feeling...or maybe it was watching Cleo almost drool over every move that Dave was making.   
  
Leaning over to Cleo, who was gazing intently at Dave's butt, Jing-Mei hissed in her ear. "Just how long are you planning to keep him here?"  
  
"Until my money runs out...or until he gets the place clean." Without taking her eyes off Dave, Cleo carefully upended her drink onto the wooden floor. "Oopsie..."  
  
Jing-Mei rolled her eyes and settled back with a fresh bowl of popcorn.  
  
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Peter stopped outside Cleo's door, and carefully readjusted the bouquet of flowers he was holding. All women liked flowers, right? A nice big bunch, plus a box of chocolates...lo-fat...and Cleo would be eating out of his hand. That's all that women wanted, right? A little bit of attention. Cleo hadn't really wanted to break up with him...she was just stressed out over the HIV thing...a few kind words from him and she'd be back by his side in no time.   
  
Oozing confidence, he rang the doorbell.  
  
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"Shit," swore Cleo, as she heard it. She started to push herself up from the couch, but Jing-Mei put her hand on her arm to stop her.   
  
"I think we should let our 'cleaner' get the door," she said with an evil grin. "Why should you have to get up?"  
  
Cleo shrugged, then said to Dave. "You mind?"  
  
Dave shrugged as well, "Not me...just don't blame me if it's your folks standing outside."  
  
"Yeah right...like they're going to fly in without warning," said Cleo, hoping that they hadn't.  
  
Dave moved over to the door and pulled it open. "Yo, Doctor Pe..." was all he managed to say before Peter's fist impacted squarely with his face.  
  
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To be continued  
  
  



	3. part 3

A clean break - part 3   
  
Previously on *my* ER   
Cleo dumped Peter but he wouldn't take the hint. She and Jing-Mei had a girl's night in. Slightly tipsy, they decided to hire a 'nearly nude' cleaner to entertain them. To their surprise, the 'cleaner' turned out to be Dave Malucci, doing a little moonlighting to supplement his income. Jing-Mei was initially reluctant to stay once she found out the identity of the cleaner, but Cleo persuaded her.   
  
  
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Peter stopped outside Cleo's door, and carefully readjusted the bouquet of flowers he was holding. All women liked flowers, right? A nice big bunch, plus a box of chocolates...lo-fat...and Cleo would be eating out of his hand. That's all that women wanted, right? A little bit of attention. Cleo hadn't really wanted to break up with him...she was just stressed out over the HIV thing...a few kind words from him and she'd be back by his side in no time.   
  
Oozing confidence, he rang the doorbell.   
  
-----------------------   
  
"Shit," swore Cleo, as she heard it. She started to push herself up from the couch, but Jing-Mei put her hand on her arm to stop her.   
  
"I think we should let our 'cleaner' get the door," she said with an evil grin. "Why should you have to get up?"   
  
Cleo shrugged, then said to Dave. "You mind?"   
  
Dave shrugged as well, "Not me...just don't blame me if it's your folks standing outside."   
  
"Yeah right...like they're going to fly in without warning," said Cleo, hoping that they hadn't.   
  
Dave moved over to the door and pulled it open. "Yo, Doctor Pe..." was all he managed to say before Peter's fist impacted squarely with his face.   
  
-------------------------   
  
The impact sent Dave staggering. The second punch knocked him to the ground.   
  
"You bastard Malucci," yelled Peter standing over him.   
  
"What did I do?" asked Dave, gingerly feeling his face for damage. He yelped as he touched a sore spot.   
  
Peter hit him over the head with the bunch of flowers.   
  
"Peter!" said Cleo, grabbing the flowers from his hand and throwing them on the ground. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"   
  
"Don't you 'Peter' me," snarled Peter. "You and Malucci...God, I thought you had better taste than that."   
  
"Obviously not...I mean, I *did* date you for long enough," snapped Cleo. Crouching down on the floor she helped Dave sit up, tutting disapprovingly at the blood coming from his lip.   
  
Looking up at Peter, she glared at him, "Look what you've done to him."   
  
"Well maybe he should have thought of that before he started sniffing round you," snapped Peter. "C'mon Cleo, I know we've had a little 'falling out'...but did you have to let *him* take advantage of you."   
  
"Dave, take advantage of me?" Cleo tried to keep a straight face. "Oh that's right...poor little Cleo...so upset by her break up with the dashing Dr. Benton...runs straight into the arms of the fiendish Dr. Malucci, who will 'take advantage of her', use her for his own pleasures and then abandon her to her fate." Cleo snapped her fingers as she stood up. "Except it was *you* who abandoned me...*you* who deserted me when I needed you." Poking him in the chest, she forced him backwards into the center of the room. "You were the one who left me high and dry emotionally. Dave has taken my mind off my problems which is more than I could say for anything *you* ever did for me."   
  
Quailing under Cleo's stern gaze, Peter was forced backwards. Unable to tear his eyes away from her face, he didn't realize that he was being steadily backed towards the couch until he felt it behind him. A final prod in the chest and he sat down heavily on it.   
  
"Hey Dr. Benton," said Jing-Mei idly as she popped another popcorn in her mouth.   
  
"Dr. Chen?" said Peter in surprise. "But what...I thought...what are *you* doing here?"   
  
"Well I'm not here to watch Cleo and Malucci perform some sort of live sex show in front of me, if that's what you're thinking."   
  
"I wasn't..." Peter started to protest but Cleo interrupted him.   
  
"Oh save it Peter," she snapped at him, before turning her attentions to Dave, who was still sprawled on the floor, watching the proceedings with interest.   
  
Cleo helped Dave to his feet and guided him to an empty chair, patting him tenderly on the hand before returning her attentions to Peter.   
  
"And what if I *had* been screwing Malucci?" she asked him. "You and I are finished...F I N I S H E D...can't you get that through your head?"   
  
"But Cleo," protested Peter. "I know things have sort of cooled down between us...but things have changed...they can be different."   
  
"You mean now that I've tested negative...it's safe for you to have sex with me? You don't have to worry that I'll infect you and mess up your surgical career? And for your information, things weren't just a little cool...they were downright Antarctic."   
  
Peter sat there stunned. Jing-Mei leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I think she's really pissed at you...you'd better come up with a hell of a good apology."   
  
Cleo snorted in disgust. "Him? Come up with a good apology? That'll be the day."   
  
Peter looked wounded. "They've certainly worked on *you* before...or was that some other woman who did it on the stairs with me?"   
  
All eyes looked involuntarily towards the staircase.   
  
"Dave, remind me to get you to clean those stairs before you finish up," said Cleo quickly.   
  
Dave smirked. "You guys did it on the stairs? Man, I hope there weren't any splinters..."   
  
"Shut up Malucci," snapped Peter, as he remembered that there had indeed been splinters that time. Fortunately Cleo had been very adept with her tweezers. He could imagine the gossip that would have arisen if he'd had to go to the ER to get them removed.   
  
"Hey, I was invited to be here," said Dave, a little smugly. "You're the gatecrasher, *you* shut up."   
  
"Why you little..." Peter lunged at Dave, who leapt from his chair, his hands raised defensively.   
  
"Do your worst," said Dave; "You won't catch me off guard a second time."   
  
"There's going to be no fighting here," snapped Cleo, as she stepped in between the two belligerent men. "Both of you sit down...NOW," she added, as neither of them made a move.   
  
Peter sat down, glaring angrily at Dave, who stuck out his tongue at him. Jing-Mei's warning hand on his arm was the only thing that stopped him from launching another attack on Dave.   
  
"Look Cleo," said Peter, coaxingly, as he watched her sit down on the arm of Dave's chair. "I'm really sorry about the way I've treated you...I...I know I've been a bit of a jerk."   
  
"That's an understatement," muttered Cleo under her breath. Dave barely suppressed a laugh as she slapped him lightly on the arm.   
  
Peter ignored the comment and continued. "And if you really don't want me around...then I'll go...and I won't bother you again...I promise. I'm sorry I hassled you like this." He stood up as if to leave.   
  
"Hmm, I suppose it's slightly better than your usual half-assed apologies," observed Cleo dryly. "But aren't you forgetting something."   
  
Peter looked puzzled.   
  
Cleo continued, "I'm not the only person here that's owed an apology." She indicated Dave and Jing-Mei with a wave of her hand. "You've assaulted Dave, and you've disrupted the evening's entertainment for Jing-Mei and I. And I think you ought to do something about it."   
  
"Do what?"   
  
"Well...Dave's not exactly in any condition to complete the job he was hired to do...I think it's only fair that since you're responsible for that, then you should take his place."   
  
---------------------------   
  
It took the threat of Dave pressing charges before Peter agreed to it - and he refused to take off more than his shirt - but as Jing-Mei watched him scrub the stairs, she had to agree that it had been worth the little bit of blackmail. Not that Dave *would* have pressed charges. She knew him well enough to know that he didn't hold grudges...and besides, given the chance he would have probably taken the option of finishing off the fight rather than letting the police take over.   
  
Cleo sat on the arm of Dave's chair and watched Peter with a twinge of regret. Granted the guy was a self-centered egotistical jerk...but he had one hell of a body...maybe she should give him another chance. Then she looked sideways at Dave and mentally compared the two. Lets see, bodies...well, both were pretty good...but Dave did seem to be that bit more muscular. Brains...no real contest there...both were qualified doctors, so they had to have *some* intelligence. Personality...Dave would win that one hands down, that was for sure. Peter only ever seemed to think about his work and his son. Cleo sighed heavily.   
  
Dave looked up from gloating at the sight of 'Dr. Pete' and glanced at Cleo. "You okay there?" he asked with genuine concern.   
  
"Yeah...I'll be fine," said Cleo. Chalk up one more point for Malucci, she thought to herself. Definitely there was no contest, she thought as she turned her smile on Dave and leaned in a bit closer. And who knew...with a bit of luck, she might be able to find out how he 'measured up' to Peter in, ahem, 'other areas'...but that would be another story.   
  
  
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The End


End file.
